Eqbuf is a sub-module in Earthworm's event-processing mega-module. It is generally the second link in the mega-module and is started by the first link (either eqproc or eqprelim). Eqbuf in turn starts up the third link (generally eqcoda) and communicates to it via a one-directional pipe. Once the third link is started, eqbuf's job is simply to buffer all the messages output by the process that started it. This allows the "head" module to produce events as fast as it cares to while allowing the "tail" of the mega-module to take its time finishing the event-processing. Eqbuf never looks inside a message, it just passes them thru as they are.